Doom legends Pentagram played Webster Hall on March 6th flanked by Canadian big rig Priestess and the blood-soaked Dutch known as The Devil's Blood. A Pentagram show is a true rarity, and Webster Hall was one of only two US shows lined up for the band with the other taking place the next day in their neck of the woods, Baltimore.

[Pentagram] took the stage as "Sub Intro" from their awesome "Sub-Basement" album played over the house P.A. Pentagram mainman and lead singer Bobby Liebling is the only original and/or old school member in the current lineup, though the guys playing with him brought the heat. My only complaints would be that the bass player should loose the doo-rag and just embrace his baldness (or whatever is going on under there) so he doesn't look like some dude in a cover band playing on wing night somewhere. You'd think Bobby would have taken a sidebar with him on that one, but whatever. Also, the guitar player, while really great and all, was not bringing it hard enough in the shredding department. I would much rather have seen Pentagram alum Joe Hasselvander up there. To be fair though, I was kind of hammered by the time Pentagram went on so maybe it was just some weird mood I was in that made be start complaining in my brain about the guitar player. Don't get me wrong- he could shred, just not enough for my taste. I am a man who demands full-on shredding. It's just how I live my life. I mean, is there another way?

Despite my alcohol-induced complaints, Pentagram were awesome, especially Bobby Liebling, who seemed really coherent compared to what I was expecting and he sang great. I'd heard all sorts of stories about him not showing up for gigs or just passing out before he could hit the stage, so it was nice to actually see him out there tearing it up. He's got a lot of party miles on him, but he sure can sing. He and the band played a bunch of the classics plus one or two new songs that were rocking my head big time.

Priestess are playing SXSW in the coming week including dates with Valient Thorr and another Chesapeake doom legend, Wino. Priestess will be back in the NYC area on May 6th to play The Chance in Poughkeepsie with Gwar & Cattle Decapitation (tickets here). All dates are below.

The Devil's Blood are one of many bands that will grace the stages of the soldout Roadburn Festival, along with Wino's band Saint Vitus who they are also playing a not-Roadburn date with.

Dave Hill is the possibly the worst writer to have joined BV's already low ranks. A sample of his insights are truly essential:

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so he doesn't look like some dude in a cover band playing on wing night somewhere. You'd think Bobby would have taken a sidebar with him on that one, but whatever. Also, the guitar player, while really great and all, was not bringing it hard enough in the shredding department.

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and

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To be fair though, I was kind of hammered by the time Pentagram went on so maybe it was just some weird mood I was in that made be start complaining in my brain about the guitar player. Don't get me wrong- he could shred, just not enough for my taste. I am a man who demands full-on shredding. It's just how I live my life. I mean, is there another way?

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Ladies and Gentlemen, the next Lester Bangs. Somebody needs to "bring . . . it hard enough in the shredding department," but he's not the guitar player . . . is there an editor in the house?

that was a good review. I don't understand the complaints. And FYI Dave Hill is a guitar player as well so I think that lets him criticize the guitar players if he wants to. And even if he wasnt a guitar player he can say what he wants.

It would be nice to have an actual review and not a guy doing a cigar-smoking, tongue in cheek half-ironic comedy session. Some of us actually want to hear about the show. We love Pentagram. I dont give a shit if it's [INSERT COOL HIPSTER] writing . . . how was the show?

for anon 11:44...
the show was fucking AMAZING. every band brought it hard. i was skeptical about bobby before hand but i think he did a really great job. im just glad i was able to see this in his lifetime. he worked the crowd and seemed really amped to be there. one of the best concerts i've ever seen.

I've seen a ton of shows in my lifetime. Only a certain handful stand out as being led by a true musical madman and most importantly, a showman. PENTRAGRAM and Bobby Liebling delivered, holy smokes. He reminds us all of how much of an impact an energetic, enigmatic, scary and even almost a-sexual frontman can have. That guy can work the crowd just by using his eyeballs, I swear. The night of March 6th will go down as one of NYC's great rock-n-roll shows while crowning Bobby's career thus far. Cheers!